Reflecta
The Reflecta is a German TLR made by Richter in Tharandt, Germany from the early 1930s onwards. Date: McKeown, p. 823, says 1933, but this page at dresdner-kameras.de says 1930. After the war this company was succeeded by Reflecta Kamera-Werke Tharandt then Kamera-Werk Tharandt in East Germany, which continued to sell the camera. The Reflecta was renamed Reflekta in 1949 Date: McKeown, p. 823, and this page at dresdner-kameras.de. and the production of later derivatives was taken over by Welta (see Reflekta). In West Germany, the company Lipca also emerged from the former Richter, and it made the related Flexo and Flexora TLR cameras. Features The Reflecta has a Brillantar 73/4.3 taking lens, while the viewing lens is a Brillantar 75/4.5. The shutter has B, T and 1/25–1/100 speeds. Focusing is done by a lever on the lower left part of the taking lens. Film transport does not cock the shutter, this is done separately by a small, red-eyed lever. Other variants have a Brillant Anastigmat 7.5 cm ƒ4.5 lens in a Compur shutter that has B, T, 1second - 1/100 and 1/300. Variations Variations with rounded and square top are reported. Some versions have Trioplan 73/3.5 lens in a Prontor II shutter (B, T, 1–175). A remarkable feature of this Prontor II shutter is the fact that the lower speeds are on the right and the faster ones on the left, when seen from the front. Another version with a 75/3.5 lense called 'Trioplar' was fitted with the faster Compur shutter (see above). Name variants The Vitaflex is essentially a name variant of the Reflecta. , p. 564; Tomuro, p. 77. The Embirflex sold by Birnbaum is another name variant, sometimes covered with polished metal instead of leather. , p. 138. The Rica Flex (or Ricaflex) is yet another name variant. It has a Laack Pololyt 75/3.5 taking lens. The Stelo shutter has 1/25–1/100 speeds. Some examples were sold with Meyer Trioplan 73/3.5 lenses in a Compur shutter. The Trumpfreflex is an export version sold by Sears in the USA; its distance scale is in feet and its depth-of-field plate is in English. , p. 883. The Wirgin Reflex was sold by Wirgin, it has the same features as the Trumpf Reflex and is certainly another export version. , p. 1014, and this page of the tlr-cameras.com website. Notes Bibliography * Pp. 138, 823–4, 883 and 1014. * Tomuro Seiwa (戸室靖和). "Rikōfurekkusu B-gata no rūtsu wo saguru" (リコーフレックスB型のルーツを探る, Looking for the roots of the Ricohflex B). Pp. 72–8. Links In English: * Pages of Barry Toogood's www.tlr-cameras.com: ** Richter TLR cameras, with the Reflecta, Vitaflex, Trumpfreflex and Rica Flex ** Other German TLR cameras, with the Wirgin Reflex * repair notes for Richter Reflecta shutter by Daniel R. Mitchell * C. Richter section at Retrography.com by Simon Simonsen, Denmark In German: * Pages of Frank Gähler www.reflekta.de with Reflekta, Reflecta, Vitaflex, Trumpfreflex, Reflekta I, Reflekta II, Peerflekta II, Peerflekta V, Flektar, Wirgin TLR, in all Variations In French: * on www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand ** Richter Reflecta ** Richter Reflecta Category: German 6x6 TLR Category: East Germany Category: Richter Category: R Category: 1930